Maharashtra without CM for 8 days because poll verdict against wishes of people: Sanjay Raut
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that the "unnatural" verdict in Maharashtra, which saw Mahayuti winning big in assembly polls, has delayed the selection of chief minister for the last eight days.
Raut indicated that differences in Mahayuti forced caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde to go to his village in Satara district amidst the government formation efforts.
Notably, a key Mahayuti meeting scheduled on Friday was put off as Shinde headed to his native village, delaying government formation a week after poll results.
"Eight days have passed since results were declared but Maharashtra has not been able to get a CM. The caretaker CM (Eknath Shinde) has gone to his village. Why is this happening?...The results are unnatural and against the wishes of people. There are agitations all over the state," Raut said.
He alleged that a sudden rise in the number of votes cast in the last hours of polling was the "architect" of the Mahayuti's victory in Maharashtra and Haryana.
"76 lakh votes were polled from 5 pm to 11.30 pm (on November 20 in Maharashtra). What happened to these 76 lakh votes? Similarly, in Haryana, 14 lakh votes rose. This vote rise was the architect of Mahayuti's victory," Raut told reporters.
He said the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was studying the poll results and "technicalities" behind them.
The Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats, including BJP bagging the maximum 132, restricting the tally of MVA, comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP), to 46 seats.
Raut clarified that the MVA stands united and rejected reports of any fissures in the opposition in view of the poll drubbing.
"No one in the Maha Vikas Aghadi is talking about contesting polls independently. There is a difference between Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. A right decision will be taken at an appropriate time," he said when asked if Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest the upcoming local bodies' polls solo.
Raut said Congress, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray are engaged in a continuous dialogue.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
